Safety air-vent.



N O. 858,900. PATENTED JULY 2, 1907.

1 W. H. MUNUTT.

SAFETY AIR VENT. APPLIOATION FILED MAR. e, 1907.

Witnesses B z/ historney,

UNITED STATES *PATENT omnes. l

WILLIAM H. MCNUTT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE NON-EXPLOSIVE SAFETY NAPHTHA CONTAINER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N.

DAKOTA.

SAFETY AIR-VENT.

. Patentes :any 2, 1907.

Application filed March 6, 1907. Serial No. 360,942.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. MCNUTT, a` citizen ofthe United States, residing in New York city, in the county oi New York and State ol New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Air-Vents, of which the following is a specification. f

This'invention relates to safety means for providing an air inlet into the lower part of a can in order that it may be tipped over and its contents poured out when in an inverted position, whereby air is admitted to the now upper 'end t0 facilitate the flowing out oi the contents of the can.

The object of the invention is to provide such an inlet v'that will be normally closed'in the upright position of the can and which is locked in closed position whereby it is ilnpossible to open the closing member till the can has been sufficiently inverted to bring the level of the contents of the can below the inlet member.

A further object of the invention is to provide in such a device a valve that is normally-closed to prevent admission of air, and to provide a gravity device that will serve to lock the valve closed and prevent its being opened until the can is inverted.

In the' accompanying drawings illustrating one embodiment oi my invention, Figure 1 represents the device in vertical section as applied to a can. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 indicated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows the entre'can in section with the valve member attached, the latter being partly in elevation; and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the can partly inverted.

The can C shown in the nature of a pouring can has the present invention attached at its lower portion, as shown connected to the side of the' can near the bottomfarid on 4the side opposite to the outlet of -the spout top of the can whereby when the can is inverted, this member will be at the uppermost portion of the can. The member comprises a valve closing a vent opening retained closed by a spring, the valve having a stem projecting outside whereby it can be opened by pressure thereon as by the thumb of the user. But the opening of the valve is normally prevented by the interposition of a gravity member normally lying between the valve and an opposing mem'- ber, whereby pressure to open thevalve would be prevented by the member. But when the canl is turned vover or inverted, the A gravity member will move away from this position and permit the valve to be opened by pressure thereon. In the construction illustrated, the valve member comprises a chambered frame 8 having a valve seat 9 in its bore. A valve 10 is pressed against this seat by acoil spring 11 around the stem 12 ofthe valve located in an enlarged chamber 13 in the frame. The spring presses between a washer 14 fast on this valve stem and the lower wall of' the chamber 13, to keepthe valve normally seated.

The valve can be opened by pressure applied on aI head 15 on its stern, whereby air can be admitted through an aperture 16 in the chamber 11. Preferably a perforated disk 17 is placed in the chamber 1l around the valve stem, whereby flame is prevented from passing in to the chamber 13 and through the valve seat when the valve is opened. v

A gravity member is provided that will tightly fit between the valve 9 and the opposite portion of the frame member 8, which member is normally retained iin/this position by gravity when the can is in its` usual upright position but when the can is inverted, the meinber will shift into a chambered portion 18 thereby elevating the valve to be moved by pressure on'its liead'l. But upon righting the can, the gravity member will return to its normal position and lock the valve in. closed position. In the construction shown, the gravity member is a ball 19 located in. contact with the pointed lower end 20 of the valve 9 and its position to retain the valve closed is adjusted by means oi 'a plug 21 screwed in a bore in thelower part of the trame. The ball will roll into the chamber or bore,18 when the can is turned to bring the valve member uppermost, and the valve is then free to be opened. But as-soon as the can is inverted, the ball will roll down4 the bore 18 and engage beneaththe valve to lock it in closed position. The frame, 8 of the` valve member is shown as having its lower tubular portion 22 screwed into a flange bushing 23 that may be riveted on the can around an opening 24 therein. The bore 18 in which the ball rolls may be continued to the outside and closed vby a suitable plug 25.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination with a receptacle having an air vent, a valve controlling said vent, and a gravity member, the member being movable in a passage and organized to engage the valve in the normal upright position of the can to prevent its being opened, but to lshift in said passage away from the valve upon the can being inverted to permit the valve to be opened.

2. The combination with a receptacle having an air vent, a. valve controlling said vent, and a gravity member, the

member being movable .in a passage and organized to en Y., A CORPORATION OF SOUTH valve member having a passage therein, and a ball slidable in said passage, said members being organized whereby in bthe normally upright position of the receptacle the ball `will engage the valve to lock it in closed position, and

when the can is inverted the ball will roll in the passage away from the valve to permit its opening.

lThe valve rlosed, a passage in the valve ineinher 4. The combination ni n reeeptacle provided with an air vent portion. a valve arranged to lose the air vent. the valve lnelnber haring a pa.. 'e therein. and'a hall slitlalxle in said paage. s id members brina' organized \\'liereh.\' in the normally upright position oi.' the reeeptaele the hall will engage llie Valve to lurk it in losetl position. and when the (-an is inverted the hall will roll in the pa e away from tzlie valve to permit its opening', and a spring G. The combination of a valve frame having a valve seat: therein. a v: Ive en ;agi said seat, a spring.: for retainingthe valve cl ,(l, :s passk 'o in the valve nieniher atijaeent tlle valve. a ball arranged to roll in said pas .llion o1 the valve frame, the passage being arranged in the t'ranie wnerehy upon shifting the position of the tf1-aine the hall will roll by gravity away from the valve rnd permit'v il', to lle opened, and a plate having;` minnie openings` arl-angel] between the valve and the ontzlet in the valve frame.

Signed at Nos. 5h15 Murray street, New York city. N, Y., on this 5th lay of March, 1907.

'YLLIAM II. MCNU Witnesses \\'11.Lr.\.\r1l. man. Fina). J. Donn,

e La engage- `tl1e valve in closed position and retain ity closed in one pt 

